This invention relates to the art of emergency communication systems and, in particular, to such a system for use with an automatic teller machine.
It is of course well known that automatic teller machines, commonly known as ATM's, are often located in remote and relatively unattended locations wherein there is minimal vehicle and/or pedestrian traffic, whereby persons using the machines for drawing cash from their bank accounts are extremely vulnerable to robberies and/or physical assaults. Such robberies and assaults occur most often after the money has been withdrawn and the user of the machine is leaving the location thereof. In an effort to provide the authorized user of such a machine with the ability to initiate communication with police in the event of an emergency situation in which the user has been or is being or anticipates being accosted or robbed, it has been proposed, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,632 to Walsh, et al. to provide an ATM with a two-way communication capability with a dispatcher at an emergency station accessible through a 911 emergency response network. In this respect, an ATM is provided with a push button which activates dialing of the 911 telephone system and which, preferably, requires the insertion of an authorized user's ATM card as a prerequisite to activating the phone call. Once communication is established with the 911 emergency station, microphones and a speaker associated with the ATM enable the dispatcher at the emergency station to monitor sound at the machine and establish two-way communication with the user of the machine and, accordingly, to take such action as may be dictated by the circumstances. While such a system obviously offers more protection for an authorized user at an ATM than that provided by an ATM having no emergency communication capability whatsoever, there are a number of disadvantages which enable a robber or assailant to negate the intended safety provided by the communication system. In this respect, for example, thieves will quickly become aware of the push button on the ATM and its purpose and, therefore, need only to hide and await return of the ATM card to the user which deactivates the push button. The thief can then accost the user and take the money in that activation of the communication system requires reinsertion of the ATM card. Furthermore, a thief can confiscate the card and/or physically preclude reinsertion thereof into the machine and, as a result of such activity, become angry and harm the authorized user. Even if the thief merely takes the card and money from the user and leaves the scene, the authorized user is unable to activate the communication system to report the theft. The thief may also wait for the user to put the card away such as in a purse or billfold so that the card cannot be quickly accessed by the user, whereby the thief can confiscate the money and leave the location before the user can insert the card and activate the communication system. It will be appreciated, of course, that all such delays result in the thief getting further away from the scene of the crime before authorities can be informed thereof and attempt to pursue the perpetrator.